Materials Identification Guide

Washington Lithic Material

 











Name              Natural                              Non-heat treated points Heat treated points Color details                  Primary found in: Associated             Formation / Member
Addy Quartzite   Ranges from a grayish white to a yellowish gray or yellowish brown. Northeastern Washington Addy Quartzite Formation
Adna Carnelian
AKA: Salmon River Carnelian
  Ranges from a salmon pink to a deep red Southwestern Washington  
Agate Jasper   Ranges from yellow to brown or green.  Part if the material will be banded and be translucent while the remaining material will be mottled and opaque. Washington  
Agnes Creek Obsidian   Black North central Washington  
Andesite
Generic Type
    Washington Varies
Basalt   Ranges from black to gray Washington Volcanic
Bickleton Ridge Obsidian   Black South central Washington  
Briggs Jasper
AKA: China Hollow Jasper, Dolphite Jasper
  Primarily brown with light to dark brown, yellow, tan, blue, or grayish brown "landscaping" patterns or lines bands and arcs. South central Washington John Day Formation
Brown's Ranch Petrified Wood   Colors of brown to reddish brown and tan with quartz and bluish chalcedony inclusions. Washington  
Cataldo Quartzite   Lilac color when freshly fractures and oxidizes to a light gray. East central Washington Cataldo Member of the Belt Series
Carnelian
Generic Type
  Translucent and varies in shades from reddish brown to reddish orange. Washington Varies
Chehalis Wood     Southwestern Washington  
Chelan Butte Obsidian   Greenish / bluish gray with abundant phenocrysts
Central Washington  
Chewelah Argillite   Ranges from a silver white to shades of red and gray. Northeastern Washington Chewelah Formation
Chuckanut Sandstone
AKA: Huntingdon Sandston
  Golden tan Northwestern Washington Chuckanut Formation, Huntingdon Formation (British Columbia)
Copper Ridge Obsidian   Black Northwestern Washington  
Dacite
Generic Type
Most commonly a light to dark gray or black Washington Varies
Deep Lake Argillite    light to dark colored with interbedded bluish gray course to fine grain banding. West central Washington Deep Lake Formation
Deschutes Jasper
AKA: Dechutes Canyon Jasper
  Brown tones, but has tight banding not forming "landscape" patterns  South central Washington  
Dollar Watch Pass Obsidian   Black North central Washington  
Elk Pass Obsidian   Black Southwestern Washington  
Ellensburg Blue Chalcedony
AKA: Crystal Mountain, Red Top Mountain, and Peoh Point Agate
  Ranges from a light sky blue to a cornflower blue. West central Washington  
Fryite Jasper   Shades of tans, grays, and blues. Southeastern Washington  
Hosko Obsidian
AKA: Brooks Park, Brooks Memorial State Park Obsidian
  Black South central Washington  
Hozomeen Chert / Jasper   Commonly as banded, mottled but solid colors do occur ranging from dark gray to black, light gray to light bluish-gray or medium gray, pink, and white. North central Washington Hozomeen Series
Hozomeen Jasper   Ranges from red to shades of reddish brown with white quartz veins forming a crisscross pattern. North central Washington Hozomeen Series
Independence Chert Ranges from a dark gray to black and commonly has red or rusty staining.  North central Washington Independence Formation
Indian Rock Obsidian   Black South central Washington  
Lake Corral Obsidian   Black Southwestern Washington  
Obsidian
AKA: Volcanic Glass
  Black to black with bands of dark reds (mahogany obsidian) or white flakes (snowflake obsidian) Washington Volcanic
Peshastin Chert Black East central Washington Peshastin Formation
Petrified Wood
AKA: Agatized Wood, Opalized Wood
  Vary in color based on the minerals present during the process Washington Varies
Princeton Chert
AKA: Allenby Formation Chert
  North central Washington Allenby Formation
Rhyolite   Gray to grayish black, flow banding may be present alternating from light to darker gray Washington Volcanic Activity
Rocky Butte Jasper   Shades of brown, tans, pink, yellow, blue, and green Southwestern Washington  
Roosevelt Petrified Wood   White outer cortex with shades of white, tan and brown.  Wood rings and grains are present. South central Washington,  
Saddle Mountain Petrified Wood
AKA: Lower Crab Creek Petrified Wood
  Shades of white, tan, brown and may have colors of a sky blue to a deep blue color.  Rings and wood grain may be present. Central Washington Frenchman Springs Member Basalt Formation.
Shoemaker Chert Light colored buff, pink, gray and green. North central Washington Shoemaker Formation
Springbrook Chert Dark gray to black North central Washington Springbrook Formation
Squaw Creek Petrified Wood
AKA: Badger Pocket Petrified Wood
  Shaded of tan and browns, less commonly shades of blue with wood grain and rings commonly present Central Washington Columbia River Basalts
Status Creek Obsidian   Black South central Washington  
Sunnyside Petrified Wood
AKA: Rattlesnake Hills Petrified Wood
  White cortex with shades of white, tan, brown, gray, and black in the interior. South central Washington  
Tahoma Agate   Shades of white, tan and brown. 
North central Washington  
Tamihy Quartzite   Ranges from dark charcoal gray to black. Northwestern Washington,  
Top of the World Chert Mottled or irregular banding ranging from white to light or medium gray with dendritic inclusions being present. . Northeastern Washington Beaverfoot Formation
Tuff
AKA: Solidified Volcanic Ash
  Contains greater than 75 volcanic ash and ranges from white to tan, gray or pink. Washington Volcanic activity
Vantage Petrified Wood
AKA: Ginko Petrified Wood, Whiskey Dick Petrified Wood
  Shaded of tan and browns with wood grain and rings commonly present. South central Washington Wanapum Basalt Formation
Yakima Canyon Petrified Wood   White chalky cortex with shades of browns, tans, and whites.  Wood grain and rings are commonly present Central Washington Grande Ronde Basalts
Yakima Ridge Petrified Wood
  White chalky cortex with shades of browns, tans, and whites.  Wood grain and rings are commonly present Central Washington Frenchman Springs Member of the Wanapum Basalt Formation